1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to well design, modeling well performance and well monitoring.
2. Background of the Art
Wellbores are drilled in subsurface formations for the production of hydrocarbons (oil and gas). Some such wells are vertical or near vertical wells that penetrate more than one reservoir or production zone. Inclined and horizontals wells also have become common, wherein the well traverses the production zone substantially horizontally, i.e., substantially along the length of the reservoir. Many wells produce hydrocarbons from two or more (multiple) production zones (also referred to as “reservoirs”). Inflow control valves are installed in the well to control the flow of the fluid from each production zone. In such multi-zone wells (production wells or injection wells) fluid from different production zones is commingled at one or more points in the well fluid flow path. The commingled fluid flows to the surface wellhead via a tubing. The flow of the fluids to the surface depends upon: properties or characteristics of the formation (such as permeability, formation pressure and temperature, etc.); fluid flow path configurations and equipment therein (such as tubing size, annulus used for flowing the fluid, gravel pack, choke and valves, temperature and pressure profiles in the wellbore, etc.). It is often desirable to simulate the fluid contributions from each production zone in a multi-zone production well before designing and completing such wells. The industry's available analysis methods and models often do not take into account some of the above-noted properties when determining the contributions of the fluids by different zones. The disclosure herein provides an improved method and model for determining the contributions of the fluid from each zone in a multi-zone production well.